Army of Two
by Chris Robins
Summary: This was it. This was the end. All he had to do now was go into the Forbidden Forest and Voldemort would take care of the rest. Little did Harry know, that was about as far from the truth as one could get. If he had known what the true purpose of the Horcruxes was, he may not have gone into the woods so willingly. HP/LL eventually . Dark. AU.
1. Didn't See that Coming

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter! I'm only saying this once, as this annoyingly necessary statement shall apply to the following chapters. I claim no rights to the characters or relevant situations they find themselves in. JKR gave us a sandbox and I'm going to play in it. **_

_A/N: This is going to be waaaayyyy AU. For time-frame purposes, imagine things are cannon-ish up until the Department of Mysteries but after that, everything goes out the window and does so quickly. Will be a Harry/Luna fic but be patient, will take a while to get there. _

_This will also be a Darker fic as apparently, I have an affinity for it. Not sure where it's going to go, but I imagine it will be, ah, interesting. Could be three chapters, could be 50. No clue. And I write as I go, so don't expect a consistent update rate. _

_If you'd like, leave a review! Thoughts, suggestions, critiques, I welcome them! I prefer no flames but some of you are overzealous, I understand. Unless you have solid reasoning though, best get out your own flame shield. I prefer not to, but I can dish it back ^_^ _

_Lastly, bit of exposition in this one but necessary. You'll see why. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 1: Didn't See that Coming**

Harry walked quietly through the Forbidden Forest, sweat dripping down his face and a slight gimp in his step but he soldiered on.

This was it.

This was the end of years of suffering, of meaningless death.

"You'll be alright, son."

Memories of lost chances and mistakes filled his mind, along with his father's encouragement.

"My poor boy," whispered the ghost of Lily. "We are so very proud of you."

He stopped and turned to the images. He was about to smile sadly in thanks before he noticed Remus and Tonks appear to the side of them.

"H-How? When?" he whimpered as tears fell freely.

Tonks shrugged, "Apparently, my cousin is an animagus. A fox if you'd believe it. I don't have a concept of time here, but I think it was a few hours ago, to you that is."

"Di… Did it hurt?"

"Not at all," replied Remus, taking Tonks' hand. "I'm sorry, Harry. I watched Tonks go and I lost it." He smirked, "But for the trouble, took a few dozen or so of them with me."

Harry hiccupped as he chuckled, "Anger is a powerful motivator. Changed on the spot did you, all without the moon?"

Remus frowned, "Yeah. We're sorry, Harry. I'm… so sorry."

Harry cried. He tried not to, he really did, but seeing Remus and Tonks appear was too much. The ghosts of the past frowned sadly at the young man in front of them, a man who they all considered a son and who endured so much. Lily and James drew close to him, as did Remus and Tonks and together, they provided what bitter comfort they could.

After nearly dying at the Department of Mysteries along with Sirius, Harry was forced to acknowledge many things at once: his feelings for Hermione, his severe lack of skill, and that his family was well and truly dead. None of these thoughts reached his friends however, who were hospitalized in some way or another: Ron due to the Brain's attack, Hermione from Dolohov, Neville from a scrap with Bellatrix and finally Ginny and Luna, although their wounds were less severe. Due to this, Harry came to realize a most devastating truth.

He was Death.

Maybe not in true form or a direct agent, but all those associated with him died as a result. What else could his existence mean? It would be a miracle the other two parts of the trio survived that night, let alone his friends who followed him into the fray.

After the private service held in Sirius' name two days later, Harry locked himself away in Grimmauld Place. As the new Head of House Black and with everyone else still needing medical attention or too busy to say otherwise, no one stopped him and no one would notice until a member of the Order tried to get in. Eventually, they would give up trying and Dumbledore would come to admit that only when Harry was ready would they see him again.

Fueled by misery at what his existence meant to those he cared for, Hermione particularly, and from the loss of his godfather, Harry turned into a monster. Rage comforted him in the darkness of House Black and he found solace in destroying everything inside. Runes of the ancient House would spring into action the moment Harry exhausted himself, rebuilding what was broken and by the next morning he would start the cycle anew.

Eventually, he grew tired of it and instead turned his suffering inward, allowing the anger to fester and burn. One day, in early July, something inside him let go and before Harry knew it, he was in the family library and surrounded by books.

It would be thanks to Kreacher that Harry continued to live as the elf would bring his Master food and drink, otherwise the young man never left the library. He would practice occasionally, learning the feel and use of the new spells under his command but then he would go right back to studying.

Hermione would have been proud, if only it hadn't been the Dark Arts.

By the end of August, Harry Potter was on the fringe. Thriving off of the numbing effects from his studies, he delved deeper into the darkness and edged closer to incurable madness. It was by chance that he found a picture of Remus, Sirius and James in one of the many rooms that he used as a training area. The image struck a chord within Harry, a distant memory or feeling and it resonated. He realized his folly and began to fight the crushing pressure in his mind however he was unable to relent the Dark Arts.

They had taken too deep a hold.

During this time of self-imposed exile, Remus took charge of figuring out a means to breakthrough to Harry, someone who he had come to see as a son. He journeyed to the Black ancestral home on a daily basis, accompanied by Harry's friends or those who had healed enough to do so.

Remus' hope was to get Harry to realize they were there, every day, waiting for him. As the new Head of the Black family, the house would have notified him each time they stepped within the wards and he believed that eventually, Harry would come out to them.

Although they tried to reach the shut in young man, each day they were met with failure.

He, along with Tonks, started to spend every waking moment they could in researching ways to get inside but always came up short. You didn't simply break into House Black, even with extensive preparation; you might as well throw yourself at a horde of Dementors.

They would have enlisted the help of Hermione as she often voiced her concerns, but her injuries were the worst, second only to Ron's. She was unable to do anything strenuous for the rest of the summer and Remus, having sensed Harry's attraction to her for the longest time, subtly encouraged Hermione to recuperate. She and Ron ended up spending a lot of time together recovering and it wouldn't be until much later that Remus realized his mistake.

Setback after setback hung over their heads but in the middle of September, fate finally smiled on them through a secret clause in Sirius' will. It had taken time due to its nature, but the Goblins informed Remus of his full access to the Black home, no matter who the Lord of House was. There was a special room set aside, crafted by Sirius himself, one that only Remus could enter for his 'furry little problem.'

Remus and Tonks immediately finalized the necessary magics and without bothering to wait or tell anyone, they stormed Grimmauld. It was in the farthest corner of the library were they discovered the shadow of a man, one whom they barely recognized.

Harry, having nearly gotten a hold of his addiction, snapped at their sudden appearance and lost all control. He lashed out at them, firing a barrage of Light and Dark spells without remorse. Remus, thanks to his werewolf tendencies, and Tonks, due to her Auror training, recognized immediately what Harry was going through. In an effort to save him, they fought tooth and nail against the crazed wizard but it wasn't long before both of them realized they never stood a chance.

Harry had grown leaps and bounds while inside the mansion and only when Remus' unconscious body was thrown angrily on top of Tonks did the fighting stop. The now Dark wizard stalked his prey, who struggled against Remus' weight and her own heavy exhaustion.

Tonks had taken a short breath as Harry's wand pushed gently on her forehead. She knew her time had come and refused to cry. Instead, by looking unflinchingly into his eyes, she conveyed to him all the love she could.

"It's not the way Remus and I would have wanted but at least we know you can beat him, Harry."

The man recoiled as if burnt and fell to his knees, crying like the days just after locking himself away.

For the next several months and with their help, a new Harry would be forged from the wreckage of the old. His skills in both Light and Dark magics would be refined; Remus helping him tame his dark monsters and Tonks teaching everything she knew from the Auror Academy.

His friends started owling him, while Dumbledore and some of the other professors would visit and offer pointers or encouragement during his recovery. In time, Harry felt fit enough both mentally and physically to return to Hogwarts. Part of his return however was fueled by the public's need of it, as Voldemort's reign of terror grew worse every day.

But when he returned in March of the New Year, his stability would be tested.

The girl of his dreams, the one he had often used as inspiration to overcome his evils was dating his best friend and from the looks of it, they were madly in love. Tonks had been there to escort him back to the castle and her motherly instincts that had formed during their intense bonding were on overdrive. During her short life she would argue there were two times in which her heart had been broken. The first was discovering Harry in his most desperate hour and the second was watching him come to terms that Hermione was now out of his reach. Harry did the only thing he could and congratulated them, giving Ron and Hermione his full support but sadly, the trio would never be quite the same again.

Harry devoted himself to his studies, mastering spells at such an astounding rate that even Hermione was in awe. However, with Ron taking Hermione away more often times than not, Harry would be left alone in the library. She always showed her remorse for leaving him and although it did not convey a deeper meaning, Harry still struggled with it. This change in their dynamic had a ripple effect, alienating him from them and the rest of his friends.

His pseudo-parents, as that is how Harry came to see them, saw right through his attempts to conceal the pain but they knew nothing could be done. With renewed vigor, Remus and Tonks continued Harry's development, joined a month later by Alastor Moody and Dumbledore. McGonagall and Flitwick also chipped in and by the end of his sixth year, one year since Harry's descent into madness, he began to believe he may stand a chance.

All of this was thrown into the air upon Dumbledore's death.

In his will, Albus gave Harry the remaining pieces of the puzzle, pieces that the elder wizard had kept hidden from everyone. After learning this truth, it nearly destroyed everything Harry had worked so hard to retain.

Horcruxes. There were seven and Albus believed Harry to be one of them.

Remus had vented angrily to the old Headmaster's portrait and although the painting looked thoroughly chastised, the damage had been done. Harry left shortly after the start of seventh year to find the cursed things, along with the help of Remus and Tonks who tagged along. Ron and Hermione had protested initially, but after a private word with Harry on what Remus assumed to be a demonstration, the shards of the trio relented but not without Hermione in tears and Ron close to. They may have been fractured, but they still cared for him.

The new trio hunted day and night for the evil anchors that Voldemort had created . Yet despite their best efforts, no solution was found for removing the Horcrux that had been buried into Harry's soul. Once Voldemort and his Death Eaters attacked Hogwarts some hours ago, Harry knew his time had come.

With a little bit of luck and a lot of planning for this very outcome, the captured Horcruxes had been placed together and tied by blood magic to the soul fragment residing in Harry. If all went well when he died, the fragment would be released, taking with it all the others and that would be the end of it. Remus and Tonks were going to explain things once it all settled down or finish it if something went wrong, except now Harry was staring at his adopted parents through flooded eyes.

"We didn't mean to cause you more trouble."

He managed a smile, "It's alright, Tonks. No one needs to know and it's probably better if no one does. Everything will work, I'm sure of it."

A white mist formed to the right of the small group and Sirius appeared with a forlorn expression.

"Hello Harry."

Harry on the other hand smiled, "Sirius, good to see you."

"I wish I could say the same. I watched you pup, every step of the way. This shouldn't have happened."

The young man shrugged, "Nothing for it. I'm just glad everyone's together and waiting for me."

The others started to fade away, the magic of the ring running out. They gave their goodbyes and then only Sirius remained.

"We'll always be waiting for you, no matter how long it takes. Fight until the bitter end, Harry. You may still come out on top."

Harry blinked away the last of his tears as his godfather faded away, "Not likely, but I'll try."

**X**

"My Lord!" cried Bellatrix. "It's Potter!"

Lord Voldemort turned to look behind him as a battered and weary Harry came out from the shadows. The wizard smiled, "Ah, Harry Potter… The Boy-Who-Lived, come to die?" Voldemort threw back the sleeve of his arm, exposing the Elder Wand. To his surprise, he watched Harry take a solid step forward.

"I know I'm going to die so I just want to say one thing and after that, by all means, do what you will."

The small army of Death Eaters all chuckled together, which in turn made it sound like a low rumble throughout this part of the forest. Voldemort too could be heard laughing and this only encouraged and excited his followers.

"Very well, Potter. Speak your piece."

Harry glared angrily at him before taking a deep breath and he surprised everyone by smiling, "You're going to lose and it doesn't matter what I say because the end is still the same. You should know though, Tom," the Dark Lord hissed but Harry ignored it, "that it will be your own hand that causes your downfall. Pity I won't be around to see what comes next."

"ENOUGH!" bellowed the Dark Lord and sparks shot angrily from his wand. "You know not what you speak! _Avada Kedavra!_"

Harry watched the green spell fly angrily towards him. If a few seconds, it would all be over: the pain, the heartache, and struggles.

It would finally end.

When the spell connected, Harry was blown back and his scar felt as if it split open. Voldemort also fell to the ground, screaming in pain. As the Dark Lord continued to thrash, for Harry, the pain simply stopped a moment or two later. The difference was so jarring he nearly jumped up, feeling better than he could ever remember being in his entire life.

Some of the nearby Death Eaters shrieked in fear, wondering what kind of devil stood before them. Before they could run or get a curse in edge wise, Voldemort's form glowed brightly. Harry squinted, almost unable to watch but he was able to see seven black shapes converge on the Dark Lord's body.

As quickly as the light came it left and everyone looked on in awe as a human looking Tom Riddle stood up from the ground. Tom seemed just as surprised as everyone else and he studied his hands, now a healthy color.

He looked at Harry, "What have you…" and then his eyes shot open, "You… Potter! You were a seventh!"

The old Harry would have blanched but the new one held his ground, wand already pointed in the proper direction, "What are you talking about?"

Tom started to look nervous, "Now is not the time for games! Were you a seventh?"

Harry glanced around and took note of the Death Eaters' reactions. They seemed confused, rightly so given the circumstances, but there was no spark of recognition to what Voldemort was saying. That meant no one knew of the Horcruxes save for himself and their creator.

"What's it to you?"

Tom screamed in rage and Harry gasped as breathing became difficult to do. Everyone stumbled around, the feeling of a heavy pressure settling on their shoulders and pressing them inward. The Boy-Who-Lived-Again struggled against this pressure, recognizing it for what it was. Harry could not believe just how far outclassed he was compared to Tom. This force was the manifestation of a wizard's core and if this was the true power of Voldemort, then despite all his suffering, all his training…

In an instant the feeling went away and Tom immediately started barking out orders.

"All hands are to report to Riddle Manor immediately!" he yelled. "Anything that comes out is to be killed instantly, no exceptions!"

The Death Eaters were stunned as was Harry but unlike the mindless followers, he recognized a hint of fear in the Dark Lord's voice. In a twisted sort of way, he knew Tom better than anyone and this fact sent a shiver down his spine.

_'What in the seven hells could Tom possibly fear?'_

Everyone hesitated, unsure of this command. Weren't they about to charge Hogwarts?

Voldemort however was not in a patient mood, "_**Go!**_"

Snapped out of their daze, many started to leave and Harry watched as Bella quickly approached her master.

She kneeled, "My Lord?"

"Spread the word. I want every Death Eater converging on Riddle Manor. Nothing is to be left, burn the place down. Do you understand me?"

Tom's voice went up as he spoke and this added further concern.

"Yes, My Lord. It shall be done," and she was gone.

Harry blinked and wasn't sure if he was in a dream or if he had actually died and was in some sort of hell. Fifteen seconds ago, this part of the Forbidden Forest was crawling with Death Eaters and now only two wizards were left.

Voldemort rapidly approached him but Harry held his ground, "What's going on?"

To Harry's utter shock, Tom didn't make a rebuttal nor did he attempt to throw a curse. Instead, he put away his wand.

"Stand down, Potter. We need to talk."

Harry sputtered, "Talk? We need to talk? What the hell about?"

By some sense of honor or whatever possessed him to do so (and it wasn't Voldemort), he began to lower his wand. Tom's following words however, would act like _Stupefy_.

"I, Tom Marvolo Riddle, swear on my life and magic that what we are about to discuss for the next hour is true or as close to the truth as I know it. I also swear that the life of Harry Potter within this next hour shall not be threatened by me or anyone associated with my name."

As the magic of the oath took effect, Harry let his mouth drop. He really couldn't help it.

"What in Merlin's balls are you doing?"

"Will you stand down?"

"What?"

"Will you stand down? I realize you're not going to remove your guard and I hardly blame you. I am only asking what you asked of me several minutes ago. Allow me to say my piece."

Tom's face was firm but showed no malicious intent and not for the first time, Harry was questioning if he was still alive. The man in front of him made a 'well?' gesture and Harry growled.

"Alright, say it. What's all this about?"

"You were my seventh Horcrux, weren't you?"

Harry didn't see any point in hiding it anymore, "I was but you took care of that, as I mentioned you would. The rest of them are gone too."

The Dark Lord frowned, "Indeed, my soul is whole again but do you have any idea what it is you've done? What you've caused me to do?"

"Please, enlighten me."

Harry's building anger wavered in surprise when Tom turned around. He further confused Harry by glancing all around, like he was admiring the woods.

"Magic is like Nature…"

'_What the…?'_

"Actually I would postulate Nature and Magic are one in the same. Just as the winds shift over miles of land, so does Magic shift in order to balance herself. When wizards seek to alter her direction, it takes great effort to do so."

Something cold settled into the pit of Harry's stomach. He did not like the feeling he was getting from this, "Are you telling me your intent was not to be immortal? That the Horcruxes served some other purpose?"

Tom chuckled, "Oh I still aim for immortality. Any sane mortal would but yes, you are half correct. The Horcruxes were originally just a set of tools. A failsafe, to be blunt."

"For what?"

The Dark Lord sighed, "As I said, Magic is like Nature. She doesn't like it when lesser beings manipulate her for their own ends."

"Are you going to stop talking in riddles, Riddle?" Harry snapped impatiently.

Tom snarled in response, "_I_ created horcruxes so that I could bring myself back to life should my experiments backfire, which they did I might add. I've died hundreds of lives over."

The wind was torn from Harry's sails, "What? Then what are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything, boy."

"To hell you are! Like it or not, I know you better than most thanks to our damned connection. I could tell your knickers were twisting the moment you realized I was another of your anchors!"

Tom took a calming breath, "This is utterly ridiculous. Here I am about to spill my grandest of plans to my mortal enemy."

Harry was about to retort when Tom held up his hand.

"I created a virus… A magical virus meant to be controlled by my will. It took years to perfect the runic sequences but once I had it, all it took was supplying a host and they'd succumb to it, no exceptions. Mudbloods, half-breeds, pure-bloods, you name it. If you could cast magic of any kind, you would soon do my bidding and if you couldn't, the virus would force magic into you. Humans and squibs alike would be mine to control, there was no distinction."

Harry took a step back, "You lie."

Tom laughed, "That's only the half of it. It was to be the perfect army, one that would never question my directives or lax in their duties. Better still, my army would grow… Tell me, are you aware of the currents?"

Harry frowned. Luna sometimes wandered off on her own saying she was going to knock on the sky and listen to the sound. She described it as riding an ocean of waves or currents except what she did used magic. Harry however, had a more formal introduction of the matter.

"Vaguely, can't say I had an interest in Divination although its mentioned in several prominent books on Magical Theory. 'The world is encased by magic, described as currents ever flowing like an ocean.'"

Tom looked impressed, "Text book answer for an obscure art. My virus spreads by using these currents, that's how it latches on to anyone and anything. The host must be of sufficient biomass to sustain the mutations but other than that, almost anything can be infected."

"Do I want to know how this deals with the Horcruxes?"

Harry jumped back as Tom angrily let loose a burst of magic.

"It's _Nature!_ Despite all my calculations and efforts, right before I keyed the virus to my will I met not resistance, not issues with getting the magic to hold, but utter refusal! Nothing I tried was able to put the virus under my command. By the time I had finished crafting it, it had mutated out of my reach and blood rituals or bindings of any sort failed."

The swirling magic died down.

"It was both a fantastic discovery and a colossal failure. Structured magic became meaningless, Potter. Merlin's Principles, Equivalent Exchange, Roshburg's Theory, every rule in the book was either bent or broken when I tried to make this virus my own. It was like Magic herself fought against me."

"What… possessed you to push forward? Is that not enough of a warning? What the hell was the point?"

Tom's eyes glowed, "The point was total domination, Potter. That was my goal. I had it too, discovering that Magic could be outwitted by using the Horcruxes." He took several steps away. "I was experimenting with magical amplifiers, one capable of being worn by wizards and giving them an unlimited boost of power."

Harry's eye twitched, "I've heard of similar things. Let me guess, did you forgot about Haidlen's Limit?"

Tom glared, "My calculations were perfect and still something went wrong. Obviously, the explosion destroyed my body and I was forced to use my last homunculus I had in storage. It just so happened I wondered how the bindings would react to a soul with magic but no body."

The Dark Lord began pacing, "Everything fell into place after that. I was so close to unleashing it however I was weak. The possession process is difficult and magically draining not to mention it was no small feat to bind the virus. Foolishly, I thought it best to use one of my bitter rivals as candidates for the first infection."

Tom was mildly surprised by a wand appearing in front of his eyes along with the arm and body that held it.

"You. Bastard." Harry was shaking, his arm trembling. "Give me one reason."

"Since you destroyed all the Horcruxes, the virus no longer has a master to control it. I'm not so naive to think I can beat this thing on my own, Potter. Neither can you."

Reluctantly, Harry lowered his wand and took several breaths of air to calm himself. Tom did something similar.

"Can it be killed?"

"Because it's made of magic, it can't be destroyed by an outside force. It will vanish on its own if a host is not found in time but otherwise, when it inhabits a body it is then bound to that body. Should the body die, it dies."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, "So you first have to infect someone and then you destroy them? That must be such an easy thing to do."

"The mutations make the body heavily resilient to magical attack. Blunt force trauma will stun but not stop them and no muggle or magical artifact exists that can easily destroy them. Not without killing the rest of us anyway."

Harry cursed, "Right, so, why did you send the Death Eaters away?"

For the first time since they started talking, Tom showed fear in his eyes. "Riddle Manor is crawling with my henchmen and I have no doubt at least one of them has already been infected. Which means the virus is already hard at work at crafting itself to take another. It mutated once before so unless it's stopped, I fear it will spread with no hope for containment. If that happens..."

Harry paled, "Bloody hell. Can it be stopped?"

Tom looked more human than ever, "I don't know, Potter. I don't know."

**XX**

_A/N: Brownie if you catch the movie reference. So… what did you think and anyone wanna Beta?_


	2. Whether We Like It or Not

_A/N: Wow, did no one catch the reference? Pity… Big thanks and welcome to Noxy for taking up the call to Beta. As a result, Ch1 has been polished up. Nothing overly dramatic changed so if you don't feel like rereading, you probably won't miss anything. _

_Also, if you reviewed (thanks!) but didn't get a response, don't feel slighted. Normally I miss a few reviews each posting but this time around calls for exception: my computer died. Thus I lost a lot of time on various aspects of my digital life. At any rate, I'm back at it!_

**Chapter 2: Whether We Like It or Not**

Harry paced around for a bit, thinking furiously on what he was just told.

"Alright, so let me get this straight. You created a virus in hopes of making some kind of unstoppable army. The horcruxes were your key to control it, but now that they're gone, the virus will do whatever the hell it pleases. Get too close and you're infected; wait long enough and you're infected. Am I about up to speed?"

"More or less. The infection process is rather complicated, so I'll save the explanation for a crowd."

Harry cursed again for good measure, "How do we fight it and is there a cure?"

"You've seen _Morsmordre_?"

"Is that really a question?"

Tom rolled his eyes, "What about my Mark then, have you seen it up close?"

"Yeah, it looks just like _Morsmordre_. What's that got to do with anything?"

Tom pulled back his sleeve and showed Harry his own Dark Mark except this one was different. Additional runes encircled the skull, along with a few other noticeable changes in the artwork that he'd never seen before.

"This version offers the bearer protection from the virus. I'm the only one that has it for what I hope are obvious reasons. As for a cure, I don't have an answer to that. I would wager there is, but it probably won't come about easily especially if the virus mutates and if _that _happens then the Mark may be of little use."

Harry closed his eyes for a moment, willing that not-so-nice admission to the back of his mind and also to steel himself for what he was about to do.

"I can't believe I'm asking you this, but what do you propose?"

Tom looked sick, "Collaboration. I see no other way out of this. I can give out the Marks as a means of a vaccine." He chuckled at Harry's look, "Without the connections to me."

"And no negative side effects; I want an Oath."

At the completion of Tom's third oath of the day, Harry knew this was serious. The wording of it was such the Dark Lord could not wheedle his way around and by witnessing him do it firsthand meant things were as bad as Tom said they were. After a breath of magic brushed past Harry's senses due to the oath's completion, an idea popped into his mind.

"Can the Mark be integrated, say into a barrier?"

Tom nodded, "That's one of the first things I used it for. What do you have in mind?"

"Hogwarts. If we can layer your Mark over the castle's protections or better yet work them into it the preexisting wards, then that should provide a decent place of refuge. Not to mention the power bonus and all the other perks, hell, it might even compensate for any mutations."

Tom agreed, "I'll go to Riddle Manor and see if we've lucked out. We should assume we haven't and if there are any survivors, I'll change their Marks so you know they can be approached. I won't give it to them if they do not follow our agreement."

"Good enough for now. I'll go to Hogwarts and start things there. Apparate to the Covered Bridge but don't cross: it was rigged to blow for when you came back, so I'll have to disarm the spells first. Send a white phoenix into the air, that way I'll know you're there. I'll reply with my own when it's safe."

Tom gestured in Hogwarts' direction, "How are you going to convince the others? Even I can admit this is a stretch."

Harry paused for a moment before he rolled back his sleeve, "Give me the Mark. That'll at least start things off, but it's likely we'll have to have a detailed discussion with everyone at some point. Merlin knows what some of my friends will think."

The Dark Lord took out his wand, "I expected as much."

"You'll also have to give me the Elder Wand."

Tom hesitated, "That… is not simply given."

"It was never yours to begin with. Draco got in a pot shot at Dumbledore before he died, I overpowered Draco shortly afterwards which makes me the keeper. You can take my wand, it has the same core as your old one, but you already knew that."

Tom eyed his adversary, "You believe me then?"

Harry nodded grimly, "As I said before, Tom. I know you better than most. By exchanging wands, it will provide a little more leverage to make everyone see what's going on faster. Time is of the essence, is it not?"

Tom's acknowledgement cemented a thin line of trust between them and they exchanged wands. When the Elder Wand was placed in Harry's hand, it thrummed with an energy that Tom hadn't seen before and he smirked despite himself.

"Proof is in the wand it seems," and then together, they did something neither of them imagined would ever happen.

The Dark Mark was willingly received by the Boy-Who-Lived.

**XX**

Tom's form came into being from nothingness and as soon as he existed, his senses were accosted with screams and fire.

Riddle Manor was burning.

He approached it from the south-west, through the densely packed forests that guarded his ancestral home. The outskirts of these lands lie untouched by wizards' hands, allowing Mother Nature to go about her course. Now that he was human again, Tom found himself reminiscing and feeling emotion: a sense of longing over forgotten memories. He shook his head, ridding himself of such things and moved towards the fighting; he could see spells fly from within the flames.

'_Just as I feared. There was no stopping it.'_

A small group of Death Eaters stood not far in front of him, their wands pointed at the burning building. Although he couldn't make out their faces, it was obvious to him how frightened they were. Wands were shaking and they couldn't keep still.

"Bella?" he called, recognizing her form in front of the others.

They turned towards his voice and quickly surrounded him. She bowed, "My Lord, we have done as you commanded, but…" Bella hesitated, something she wasn't known for. "What… what are those things?"

Tom's eyes scanned the small group. Nott had somehow survived, along with Dolohov and Narcissa too.

"Where are the others?"

"Gone ahead, my Lord," answered Narcissa. "They are fighting inside the flames. We've created several rings of fire in an effort to compartmentalize the battles."

Tom closed his eyes, "Get behind me."

They were scared. For the first time since swearing loyalty to their Lord, something had changed. He was different, powerful all the same, but there was a frailty that wasn't there before. Of course, that was nothing to say of the things some of their comrades were currently doing battle with.

He lifted his wand into the air and many of them gasped in surprise.

"That's!"

"Yes," replied Tom. "This is Potter's wand. There is much we need to discuss but for now, you will treat him as you treat me."

Bella recoiled, "You are not my Master!" she screeched. "Be gone you imposter!"

She threw a curse at him but Tom caught it before turning his wand on her, "_Petrificus Totalus_." He turned to the others, "I expected such an outburst however you _will _listen or you too shall join the fire."

He faced the burning timbers of his home, "_Infernus_," he intoned and the house, along with all the Death Eaters fighting around it, was consumed by black fire. The screams lasted only seconds before being replaced by silence. The flames burned with no sound and the sight sent shivers through all who watched.

Then an unearthly cry tore through the air and a figure jumped up and _out _from the inferno. It landed some distance away from the group but once it got its balance, the human-shaped figure ran like a devil towards them.

"_Avada Kedavra!" _shouted Tom and the spell hit the thing and blew it back. The others breathed a sigh of relief but Tom held his guard. There were shouts from his group when the creature stood shakily back up from where it fell.

"That's not possible," mumbled Dolohov as they all stepped back.

"I assure you Antonin, it is," replied Tom and he shot another killing curse at the creature before it fell, this time staying down. "Narcissa, wrap the remains in a stasis charm. We'll need it for leverage."

The Death Eater did as she was told, although it was fairly obvious she was deeply shaken by it. Once her work was completed, Tom pointed his wand back towards the black fire.

"_Aegyptiae Sepulturam"_

The ground roiled and split open, swallowing the fires before covering everything over with earth. The Death Eaters dare not move, humbled by their Lord's strength but fearful of his actions.

"If you wish to continue following me, then meet me at the Covered Bridge from the forest side in ten minutes time."

Tom vanished from them, Bella also and together they reappeared exactly where he said to meet. The Black woman bore daggers into his skin which made Tom chuckle. He flicked his wand and her left sleeve tore itself. Her anger turned to fear as he placed the wand on her Mark and after a silent incantation her eyes flashed and cleared.

Tom canceled the spell and sighed to himself, _'I wonder if it was permanent?'_

Bella stumbled away from him looking half drunk. She eventually corrected her direction and headed back towards him. With each step she took, her movements became more controlled and by the time she reached him, her body was shaking in fury. In a surprising move, Bella slapped him hard across the face.

"You bastard! You knew what that Mark would do to me, yet you did so anyway!"

Tom bowed his head, "You were one of the first and it wasn't ready yet. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for what it made you do."

She growled, "Which means bloody nothing coming from you."

He grinned, "So it does. Tell me though, do you think Potter will listen to your story or will he kill you on sight?"

"If you two are working together, then I think I'll take my chances."

Tom laughed, "By all means, it's your death."

The others appeared at that moment, Dolohov leading the way followed by Nott, and Narcissa bringing up the rear with their dead captive. Bella approached her sister, making a gesture that lit up her eyes.

"Bella?"

"I'm free again, Cissia," she said, holding up her arm and showing the altered mark.

Narcissa's eyes darkened, "So the rumors were true."

"I hate to end this little reunion but we have things to do."

They all turned their eyes to the Dark Lord.

"As you've probably guessed, something drastic has happened which required my sudden change in direction as well as the sacrifice of my forces." Tom smiled to himself. Not one of them gasped or looked horrified; truly he'd done an excellent job in conditioning them. "If you wish to continue following me, hold out your Mark arms. If not, I offer this one chance for you to be relieved of your duties. Take note, I will not offer this opportunity a second time."

None of them made a move to leave and instead they all rolled back their sleeves.

Silently, Tom went around to each of his remaining Death Eaters and made the additions to the Mark. Once finished, he moved back to the front of their small party and started heading towards the bridge.

"My Lord, what shall we do next?"

Tom frowned, "That will depend on our reception, Antonin" and he shot a white phoenix into the air. "For your sake, I hope Potter is in a forgiving mood."

**XX**

"Harry!"

He opened his eyes to see a stunned look on Susan Bones. He was in the courtyard before the Covered Bridge and the place was a mess.

"Thank Merlin you're okay! We don't know what's going on but the Death Eater's just left all of a sudden."

He was in a bit of a daze, "Where is everyone?"

"Inside what's left of the Great Hall. Why, is everything alright?" Susan felt fear crawl inside her at the haunted look Harry sent her way.

"Gather everyone and bring them out here." His voice cracked, "We need to talk."

**X**

Luna sat quietly on one of the broken tables that used to sit Slytherin House. A few Hufflepuffs weren't far from her and there was even a Gryffindor or two in the mix.

She gazed around idly, taking stock of what remained. A huge hole had been blown in the ceiling, exposing the real night sky. It was a bit of a wonder really, she thought to herself. The magic of the Hall, which was charmed to make the ceiling look like the outside, must have been so extensive that it was trying to copy the outside sky exactly, rendering the hole invisible. If the castle's magic hadn't been spent on defenses and her reserves not so empty, it would have been a flawless masterpiece but the images faded in and out and it was sad to see.

There was so much to be sad for. Many people had lost their lives today, her father included.

"_Tell him…"_

"_Daddy! Hang on! I'll get Madame Pomfrey, she'll…"_ _and she drifted off as Xeno weakly shook his head no._

"_Please pumpkin, tell him for me. I didn't mean to trap… I'm… I'm so sorry…"_

"_Daddy… no…"_

"_I love you, my… my Lu…"_

Tears attempted to escape from her eyes but she bitterly forced them away. She would not cry, not here and not now. This war had hardened her, stripped away the false persona she had crafted for safety's sake.

She couldn't focus on being unfocused with so much at stake.

Luna shook herself from the inner musings and once again attempted to take note of her surroundings. Students and Aurors alike lay in shambles, moaning from various curses and injuries. Some of the staff from St. Mungo's were here and Pomfrey was running about like a nutter, administering potions here, fixing Dark injuries there, quite frankly it was awe-inspiring.

Luna had always looked up to the quiet little nurse who watched with keen eyes from her medical ward. Not once was the mediwitch praised for her work all these years and now her talents would finally shine through and be recognized. It was a shame really, that for good people such as her, disaster must first befall on another before she make herself known.

Luna's jumbled thoughts and random looks in various directions finally settled on two of the once Golden Trio. Luna smiled faintly, rejoicing and basking in the warmth that Ron and Hermione's auras created.

It was obvious to her just how much Ron and Hermione loved one another. A bit of surprise to be sure, given their legendary spats but beneath it all there was a genuine care that was difficult to find these days. A bond that had been forged in the most unlikely of circumstances and perhaps that is what made it so strong.

But as the two of them embraced, Luna's smile faltered.

The trouble with having a couple is that the number is almost always, exclusively two. It takes a very rare and very strange set of circumstances for there to be more than two partners and for everyone to agree to such an arrangement. Not that Luna loved Ron, well, she supposed she did in that brother and sister sort of way.

No, her concerns were for the third of the Trio, the one who was left by the wayside.

Harry's disappearance after the disaster at the Ministry two years ago had been felt by all, especially Hermione and Ron. Maybe that was the catalyst that forged their bond but regardless, it hit home for a number of people. Even with the letters that Luna sent him and he eventually sent back, Harry had completely closed himself off.

It scared her deeply and there was little that could make a similar claim these days. His return should have eased her fears and they did to a degree. Everyone else was certainly happy to see Harry back but his aura…

Luna shivered.

Something had happened in his time away; something incredible, drastic and otherworldly. Harry's aura was _transformed._ Like he had found his calling and was working like a mad man to uncover the depths of his strength. The trouble was, before it had felt light and pure; a sense of good and peace always radiated from him, even if he didn't consciously show it. That wasn't the case anymore. He still portrayed a sense of peace and safety, but underneath the surface there was a chaos which was both repelling and attracting her.

She never got a chance to investigate because shortly after his return he buried himself in his studies. Luna could tell he was hurting and not just by the haunted look he wore almost daily but his aura was crying out. With each passing day, it only grew louder, to her ears anyway. No one else paid him any mind, but Luna knew something was going on.

What had happened to him? What caused such a radical change and how in Merlin's name was he still sane? Under most circumstances, if a wizard's magic deviates from what is considered 'the norm' for that wizard, so then does the wizard deviate. Magic, emotion and personality: they're all closely interlinked. By rights, he should be shouting to the skies about pink custard and blood dripping toe nails yet he wasn't.

Susan Bones rushed past her, startling Luna from herself again. Hushed murmurs drew her attention to the front by the remains of the Head Table, where Headmistress McGonagall was trying to calm a frantic Susan. It wasn't long before the Headmistress turned towards the battered student body.

"Everyone whose is able and not tending to the wounded on me, we're heading out into the courtyard."

Neville Longbottom, another changed soul stood and picked up Godric's sword, "Are they back?"

"No, but Mr. Potter is. Miss Bones says that he wishes to speak with us and I think we should heed his request."

**X**

Harry turned around the moment Susan bolted away and started to search for the spells that were on the bridge. Neville and Seamus were on destruction duty if he remembered right and they mentioned something about placing the triggers close to this side. It was done so that someone from their camp could destroy it at a moment that was in their best interests.

He quickly found the markers and disabled them before removing the rest of the spells that were put in place. Just as he finished up, a large group of students and teachers came outside.

"Harry! What are you doing?" shouted Seamus. "We have to destroy the bridge once the Death Eaters come back!"

There was a rumble of agreement between everyone and Harry motioned for them to come closer.

"Harry?" asked Luna, "what's wrong?" She noticed his pale look and that he was jittery and moving all about.

He took a deep breath, "Everyone, something's changed."

McGonagall stepped forward, "What are you talking about, Mr. Potter?"

He raised the Elder Wand for the professor to see.

McGonagall peered close and once she recognized it, her eyes flashed, "Mr. Potter. Might you tell what in Merlin's name you are doing with Albus' wand?"

Many gasped but Harry shook his head, "Well, I suppose it was his however it's mine now. Voldemort took it initially and-"

"Does that mean you beat him?"

Ron's shout made everyone start to clap and cheer but before things could get out of hand, Harry shot a spell off that emitted a loud _bang!_ to get their attention.

"No… I didn't beat him. He… He gave it to me."

You could have heard a pin drop.

"What do you mean, he gave it to you?" asked McGonagall. Everyone looked as skeptical as she sounded, but Harry knew that in the end, it was going to come to this.

"I, Harry James Potter, swear on my life and magic that what I am about to say is true, as best as I know it."

She paled, "What is this all about?"

Harry explained to them what had transpired between him and Tom Riddle. Everyone was so stunned by the news, they forgot to interrupt and the silence stayed for several minutes after he completed his tale. During this time, Harry's eyes swept over most of those who remained. He could see which of those who believed him and which of those thought he was mad but unable to claim so since he was obviously still alive.

"Harry, dear?" asked Molly who stepped forward from behind the crowd. She had been with her family when the Death Eaters first struck and they had all moved to Hogwarts. "Did you hit your head?"

Some of the others snorted but Harry snapped back at them.

"Knock it off! I'm not joking even though I wish I was. I knew you'd think I'd gone mad, so that's why I made the Oath. Anyone notice I'm not dead?"

They stepped back, afraid of his sudden angry burst.

"I believe you, Harry," said Luna, her voice clear and strong against the murmurs.

He visibly relaxed, "Thanks, Lu…" he was cut off by a bright light that appeared in the sky behind him. "That was bloody quick," he grumbled and met the stunned looks. "We have little choice for this and I at least want to hear the whole story before making a final decision. This way, we'll at least be able to decide while relatively safe."

A number of the students moaned in fear, "You… you can't be serious?" stuttered Ron. "You… that's him isn't it?"

"Yes, it is Ron," Harry replied and he held his wand into the air. "I don't know what's going to come of this but I do know that whatever has happened, we'll find out more by allowing them passage. I will say this: if I so much as get a whiff of something odd, I'll kill them."

Luna seemed to be the only one who reacted strongly to this statement. The certainty in his words, the casual claim of taking the life of others; this was a Harry she didn't recognize.

'_Is this what he was trying to hide? His... his darkness? I didn't even…'_

She wanted to question him but like everyone, she didn't say anything as Harry shot another white phoenix into the air.

As the light and sounded faded from the spell overhead, the courtyard grew deathly quiet. A light breeze rustled the hair of many heads as the sun crept closer to the mountains in the west. A chill ran through many of them and it was by some strange moment of luck that stopped the younger students from screaming as the rickety wooden bridge moaned from the passing of unwanted guests.

Harry stood in front of everyone, waiting patiently and showing no hint of fear or concern. Luna noticed this, as did several others and they all ended up thinking the same thing.

'_What's going to happen now?'_

The defenders of the besieged school became uneasy as several figures came into view. They moved quickly, following the lead of someone they all recognized and yet had to do a double take to be sure.

The Dark Lord had changed, looking more human now than anyone ever remembered him being. To his right walked Bellatrix Lestrange, her eyes showing unnatural clarity and a fiery anger simmered just underneath. On the other side strode Antonin Dolohov, his face impassive although he paled when his eyes met Harry.

As Tom and his followers crossed underneath the archway and stepped into the courtyard, the Dark Lord had to admit: his recently acquired ally cut an imposing figure with the last light of day fading away. He didn't have to glance at Antonin to know that his minion was disturbed by the Killing Curse like glint in Potter's eyes. In all honesty, Tom had been looking forward to this moment.

"Potter," he grunted and tipped his head in a show of acknowledgment. Harry did the same and Tom smirked when he noticed Harry's eyes lingered on Dolohov. He was almost disappointed when Harry turned away from his follower and got in close.

"What did you find?" he said quietly.

"Exactly what I feared; they were too late."

Harry bit his tongue, "You were quicker than I expected so I didn't have much time but they all know the basics."

"Did you show them?"

"Not yet; they seem to be taking it well but I suppose now is as good a time as any."

Harry turned back to his friends but was stopped, partly in surprise, by Tom's hand on his shoulder.

"Allow me to go first. I have something that might convince them of the need for it faster."

Tom spoke to the group, "You all know who I am."

Many students screamed, some yelled in anger, and Tom was pleased to see several curses thrown his way by the upper years, professors included. He easily deflected them however and watched in mild interest as Harry stepped back in front of him.

"Why the hell are you defending him?" screamed Ron. "He killed your parents! Must I remind you of that?"

Had they been alone, Tom might have winced.

"Ron, shut the hell up and listen for a change." Harry turned back to Tom, "Make it quick, I don't like the feeling that thing is giving off, whatever it is."

Tom nearly showed his surprise, "You can sense it?"

"Well yeah, can't you?"

His lips drew into a thin line and he motioned towards Narcissa, "Bring it forward. To those of you watching, _this_ is what we are up against."

The elder Malfoy did as she was told. She held her wand in front of her, pointing it to an unseen object but one could tell that it was cloaked. Narcissa set the thing down and swished her wand, removing the magic and everyone recoiled.

It resembled a human but was clearly no longer; the skin had bubbled and grotesque lumps formed in random locations. The bones were bent oddly in the shoulders and lower back, as if they had been dislocated or broken. This particular specimen's neck was at a 90 degree angle and yet not a drop of blood dripped anywhere from the horribly mutated body.

"This is what the virus does?"

Murmurs ran through the crowd as Tom leveled his gaze at Harry, "An advanced stage, yes. This one appears to have been readying itself for a possible core displacement which would lead to the virus' spread."

Harry and Tom spoke quietly to one another as the remaining Hogwarts staff and students shook with fear and watched in awe. This _thing_ was an abomination, of that they could be sure however seeing Harry converse so easily with his once sworn enemy left many of them speechless. Anger burned in some of their throats, feeling betrayed by someone they had always believed in while others could not stop the bile from surfacing due to the creature's presence.

Luna's eyes darted rapidly between the two powerful wizards before them and various individuals to either side of her.

Hermione's face had turned white, an impressive shade that mimicked her own pale skin. Ginny and Mrs. Weasley both looked like fish, their mouths opening and closing while at the same time Ginny slowly backed away. Ron had gone the opposite of Hermione, his ears just about blood red and his face quickly following.

Neville was probably the most interesting to watch, aside from Harry of course. His eyes blazed of rage at seeing Bellatrix so close. What made it all the more curious however was Neville's firm expression, which gave away not anger or fear but resolution. The young hero of Gryffindor, who still carried Godric's sword, appeared to be waiting for something.

"So," began McGonagall, clearing her throat. "Am I to assume the worst and that this virus is free?"

"Yes and we are gathering here to form a coalition. Hogwarts would be the best place to erect defenses and ready ourselves for fighting this new enemy. Those who stand with me are the last of my forces. I also have prepared a vaccine of sorts that should protect us from being infected should we need to move about."

"And why," snarled Ron, "should we believe anything that comes out of your arse?"

Hermione elbowed him and hissed, "Listen to them, Ronald. Or do you lack faith in Harry's judgment?"

Before the argument could escalate further, a scraping sound drew their attention to Neville. His eyes still held a burning rage and his face remained emotionless, however he stalked towards Bellatrix with the sword dragging against the stone walkway. Tom grinned at seeing the focused look of the Longbottom heir and glanced at Bella to watch her reaction.

Again she surprised him by allowing her emotions to come through her eyes and tears slowly made a trail down her face. Neville stopped less than an arm's reach from her and held the sword up, placing the edge of the blade at her neck.

"If Harry speaks the truth, then neither you nor anyone else of your kind shall move as I take what is owed to me."

"Neville,"

"Shut it, Harry; you have no say here! I will have my revenge!"

Tom chuckled, "By all means, Heir of Longbottom, do as you will."

Bella bowed her head and the tears worsened, "Will you permit me to speak one more time?"

The anger was getting the best of him and he started to cut her, "Why should I? Did you heed my parent's wishes when you tortured them? Did you show them mercy when they begged for it?"

"Neville, stand down."

Onlookers were getting anxious. No one had seen Neville display such anger before and it unsettled them. Luna's gaze was turned to Harry however, as his voice had dropped a few octaves, leaving no room to broker.

The sudden change and the tone of command startled Neville and he turned his burning gaze to Harry.

"You… you would defend her?"

The Boy-Who-Lived tightened the grip on his wand, "Now is not the time for retribution," and he gestured towards the thing to prove his point. "We have precious little time and in case you didn't notice, that is one of what could potentially be many. Do you really want to lessen our numbers when the enemy's is rapidly growing?"

Neville stared at Harry dumbfounded, "Are you… are you mental!" he screeched. "Bellatrix destroyed my family! He," and Neville pointed angrily at Tom, "obliterated yours and you stand there, defending them? Telling us we need to side with them? Who the hell do you think you are? The Harry I know would…"

Tom was enjoying this thoroughly but that all changed when a monstrous pressure beat down on his shoulders. He stumbled; shocked at the sudden manifestation of a wizard's core and that shock doubled when he realized it was coming from Potter. The boy was far stronger then Tom originally believed.

Everyone else in the courtyard fell to their knees, many of them gasping for breath, but all eyes were on Harry. His orbs were glaring at Neville who fell to one knee but still flinched away.

"The Harry you knew died with Sirius," he growled. "The person before you is interested in one thing: survival. Your so called _revenge_ will come but it will do so when our lives are not hanging in the balance!"

Neville knew Harry was speaking the truth but was still miffed at being denied. On the other hand, the aura that blasted outward from Harry was something he'd never expected nor experienced before. Ignoring the fact he was good friends with the wizard, now would not be a good time to argue.

"All right, Harry. All right," conceded Neville and the pressure faded away.

As Harry calmed down, Luna noticed a shudder run through his frame. This set alarm bells off in her head because she couldn't tell what had caused it. Seconds after the heaviness left, Harry looked like nothing had even happened. The same couldn't be said of everyone else and no one uttered a word until Neville was back on his feet.

"What do we do then, Harry? What's the next step?"

Harry's eyes lingered on him before glancing to Tom who gave a small nod.

"We all need to take the vaccine and prep the castle to extend the same protections. Once we have a place that's safe, then we can sit down and hammer out the details."

"How do we go about it?" asked Poppy who also stood among the students. This particular topic was of great interest to her.

Harry grimaced as he started to roll back his sleeve, "By taking this," and he held up his arm.

**XX**


	3. Lesser of Two Evils

_A/N: Now that no one remembers what was going on, I present to you:_

**Chapter 3: Lesser of Two Evils**

Chaos.

Insanity.

Rage.

Such words did not give them justice as most of the remaining students recoiled at the exposed Mark on Harry's arm. A moment's delay, courtesy of shock, was replaced with a torrent of spell fire. Through the streams of magic flying past him, Harry angrily took stock of the situation.

He _hated_ tipping his hand so soon.

Those he trusted, few that they were, looked appropriately stunned but they weren't fighting like the other zealots. His true friends had quickly escaped the fray and were off to the side while the idiots attempted to follow some righteous path.

'_Fools, the lot of 'em.__'_

For several precarious moments, the Hogwarts contingent kept up their ferocious pace and Harry had to admit, their efforts were impressive. However, it didn't take very long for wizard and witch alike, those fighting and not, to notice what was really happening.

Harry stood straight and tall, spells too numerous to count flew directly at him but then at the last second diverted and harmlessly soared into the air before fizzling out. Tom was off to his side in a similar stance except Tom was guarding those who followed him.

The attackers grew tired eventually, their spells slowing and the power diminishing. Hermione, Luna, Neville and a handful of others were shaking, struggling to stay standing from the sidelines.

Hermione shook her head in equal parts disbelief and sadness, cursing herself for not seeing it sooner. Luna's eyes were wide as saucers with a touch of something else residing in those orbs; longing perhaps, but no one would understand. Neville was congratulating himself in choosing not to go against Harry and McGonagall was as white as a ghost. In all her long years, never had she bared witness to a power of such caliber, let alone two. Albus Dumbledore was the only one who drew close and even then, she wasn't sure who held the mightier wand.

Harry Potter gazed heatedly at those who opposed him, not a drop of sweat or a gasp of breath as a hideously powerful aura radiated off him. The effect was mind numbing, having seen his eyes flash green and then to black: a sign of the Dark Arts. Tom Riddle was beside him now and they stood together as equals. Their strength was unmatched, for in that moment, they complimented one another: Harry took the brunt of the spell work while Tom forged an invisible shield that guarded his followers while simultaneously adding support to Harry's efforts; all without an incantation or even a twitch of the hand.

Truly, these wizards were the strongest in centuries, but then the moment of cooperation was over and like two magnets repelling, their magics turned on the other.

Harry's gaze directed to Tom, whose own angry response created a crackle of energy between them. Pebbles from the ground rose into the air, some of them bursting from the dense magic and many of the onlookers suddenly felt sick.

"_Harry!_" Luna shouted, realizing what his shiver from moments ago now meant. A tear escaped her left eye but her face was firm, _'The Dark Arts... He__'s one of them.__'_ Her voice cut through the haze and stunned both wizards, the powers they exhibited dying instantly. They shook their heads as if just waking up and each drew a steadying breath.

"Sorry," Harry mumbled. "Can't say I had that happen before."

Tom extended a similar reaction, "We should be careful, especially if we have to do that often."

"What. The. Fuck!" blabbered Ron and for once Hermione didn't correct him. Luna searched Hermione's face, identifying a look of crushing defeat and she then glanced at McGonagall, seeing that she too understood.

"They're Dark Wizards, Ronald," answered Luna with an even tone, "although Harry is a bit of an odd ball and I'm sure he wouldn't mind me saying." His smile in her direction lit the hope she still clung too. "When those skilled in the Dark Arts unleash their raw talents, opposing Dark wizards take an unkindly notice. It's a territorial display, so to speak."

"The girl is right," added Tom, eliciting a few raised eyebrows in his direction. "Potter and I become, more at odds, when we are distracted at the same time."

"DISTRACTED!? YOU! WHAT!?" Ron was shaking and Hermione quickly stunned him with the most powerful stunner she could muster given her current state. That particular surprise had everyone gaping at her and she glanced shyly in Harry's direction.

"What? He was going to blow another gasket and probably start attacking you again."

Harry blinked and the tension was destroyed a moment later with his full blown laughter. His friends shook their heads while the majority of those watching breathed a collective sigh of relief. No one noticed, save for Luna, the mirth dancing in the eyes of a particular wizard who had stepped back to stand with his followers.

"Hermione? Thank you," chuckled Harry and shot everyone a quick smile. "I know this is completely mental and way out of line but please. Trust me." The moment turned grim again as Harry glanced back at the decaying body, once again bringing to the forefront the crux of their problem.

"What does the Mark do?" asked Poppy, finally.

"It provides a vaccine and enhanced protections against the virus," replied Tom, quickly adding, "for now anyway. Should it mutate, we may have to revisit that concern."

Harry plowed forward, not wanting to lose momentum, "We can extend the same protections to the castle and once that's done we might be able to afford some rest," he glanced at Tom who confirmed.

"With luck, the virus won't spread. It will take effort to ready the magics to know for certain but we can still use that time to sure up the castle's defenses and heal ourselves. The coming battles, if they do indeed come, will make what I tried to do seem like child's play."

Poppy looked thoughtful for a moment, "Vol,"

"Tom," he replied quickly, earning a look of gratitude from Harry. "Call me Tom."

"Tom then, will you show me the runic composition of the Mark you, Harry and your followers wear? I wish to be sure of this so called vaccine before I allow it to be given to the students. I will also need several Oaths from you for confirmation; I'm sure you understand."

Tom nodded, "Of course. Shall we retire to the hospital wing? It may be more convenient in your study to show you."

"This way," said Poppy before glancing at Minerva, "assuming the Headmistress allows it?"

The students began to whisper as they waited for the response.

"You trust him?"

The nurse looked the self-proclaimed Dark Lord in the eye and then to Harry, "No, but I trust in Harry and he would never lead us astray."

Murmurs added a low hum to Minerva's clear voice as she gave allowances, "You will be escorted at all times, Tom Riddle," she earned a respectful glance from said man, "and so will your followers until such a time that we dictate. If there is so much as one move out of line then,"

"those involved will die," stated Harry and his steely gaze defeated any retort the she may have had. "Forgive me, Headmistress, but I did not come this far to risk failure now."

Tom smirked, "Agreed, Potter. I trust then you shall dispose of the refuse and escort my remaining Death Eaters," he grinned as several people shivered, "to their quarters. You're welcome to relay any further instructions you deem necessary."

McGonagall clapped her hands and candles appeared outside to light the way. Night was quickly falling on them. "All students move inside to the Great Hall. We shall clean up what we can before eating dinner and then retire for the night. "

She moved towards Harry as everyone made their way inside, "I leave them to you, Mr. Potter. See that they understand the circumstances they find themselves in and when you have a moment to spare, please come see me in my office."

Harry was actually surprised, "Headmistress?"

She had already started walking way but turned to face him, "Yes, Mr. Potter?"

"You saw me just now; I let some of it out. Am I not a similar threat that Tom is?"

Her gaze softened and like Luna before her, this reaffirmed the belief that despite his Darker nature, Harry was still Harry.

"There are many spells in which magic can be shaped, Mr. Potter. However, in my experience, it is the manner in which you use them that defines who and what you are."

She smiled warmly at him as a little bit of the light she knew so well returned to his eyes, "Thank you, Professor." She bowed slightly to him and left to go into the castle.

"Well that was interesting," whispered Dolohov.

"Quiet!" hissed Nott. "Do you really want to"

"What?" growled Harry as he turned around to face them, "Please continue, I'm curious to hear what Dolohov isn't supposed to be doing."

Narcissa, being of sounder mind then her companions, quickly pushed aside the two brutes and was on her knees , "Lord Potter, our Master has commanded we treat you as his equal. Please excuse those who are do not yet settled with their new commands."

Bella was just about to join her sister when she noticed Harry quickly glance behind. McGonagall had just shut the doors and the change in Harry's eyes brought her to her knees where she stood.

_"Silencio; Crucio!"_

Bella realized as Dolohov fell to the ground that the words Harry spoke was a show of mercy in many ways; one, that he had even bothered to give warning and two, that Dolohov had not died out right. This was a very different Potter from before and she was beginning to wonder just how much truth Tom's words actually held.

_'Perhaps my chances are not so good after all.'_

His eyes burned an ember green-black as he slowly circled the man who was writhing on the ground. Bella counted during his pacing, nearly one-hundred and twenty seconds of uninterrupted _Cruciatus_.

_"Finis Dolore,"_ Harry whispered and those watching gasped as Dolohov stopped shivering and sat up as if nothing had happened. The silencing spell remained until Harry grabbed the man by the throat and hoisted him up.

"That was but a _sting_ and I promise you far _worse_ if you so much as look at her the wrong way. Do I make myself _clear_?"

"Y-yes, m-my Lord," Dolohov barely managed and then Harry released him.

"Show me the Marks."

They each quickly pulled back their sleeves and waited in abated breath as Harry studied them.

"I will give all of you, one chance. One chance each. I do not yet fully understand what it is we are up against but I do know this: your lives mean nothing to me. Their lives," and he pointed to the castle, "mean everything. Screw it up and I'll feed you to whatever it is we're fighting against."

"Yes, my Lord," they all intoned and Harry looked down at his side.

"Timber?" he called and an old elf wearing an even older flour sack appeared.

"Yes, Harry Potter?"

"Has the Headmistress made any indication to where Tom will be staying?"

"Yes, Sir. In an unused dormitory, close to Hufflepuff House."

"Very well then, please escort these people to their rooms aside of Tom's. They will behave, but should they not, bring them straight back to me."

"Understood, Harry Potter. Come," beckoned the elf and the remaining Death Eaters bowed to Harry once more and started to follow the elf. They were several feet away when,

"Lestrange. You wait here."

Narcissa looked back in worry for her sister before hurrying away.

Bella stood rooted in place the moment the words left his mouth. She could hear his footsteps as he came up from behind and she closed her eyes. Bella wasn't sure what he might do, Merlin knew she deserved it, but she at least wanted to show him that she wasn't the crazy psycho she had been before. So when Harry placed a firm hand on her shoulder she didn't try to stifle the sharp intake of breath nor the gasp when he forcibly turned her around.

His eyes were glowing again and she could see just behind him the burning body of an infected.

"A little nymph told me that you're an Animagus. A fox was it?"

**XX**

It was a very subdued group of students and professors that went about cleaning the Great Hall. McGonagall gave various directions, splitting everyone into three separate functions: cleaning, restoring and building.

The younger years levitated any debris out of the way and into piles while the upper years tried to restore and or repair. Advanced students took the debris that was completely destroyed and molded it into new chairs or raw materials such as stone to be reworked into the castle. With everyone pitching in, it didn't take all that long to make the Hall presentable again and then everyone gathered around as Flitwick gave an impromptu lecture on the magics of the ceiling. They all watched in awe as the charms master repaired it, good as new and impossible to tell anything had happened at all.

By the time Tom and his followers entered the Great Hall for dinner, everyone was seated as they so desired. The war had completely torn down the House barriers and the Headmistress saw no reason to enforce any type of separation now that the student body had finally been united.

Tom's entrance was quickly followed by silence and various looks ranging from fear to disgust.

"Headmistress, where shall we sit?"

She said nothing and tapped her wand on the table. The result was a new table that literally grew out of the floor with benches off to the side of where the professors sat. Tom and his Death Eaters moved silently and sat down before quickly digging into the food that appeared. Most of them hadn't eaten a decent meal in awhile so they ate with gusto.

Ron had been reawakened and was still unhappy.

"Bloody wankers," he grumbled. "I don't know what McGonagall is thinking, let alone Harry. Did he get hit in the head or something?"

"Ron!" hissed Hermione. "Did his show of strength not mean anything to you?"

Ron's face darkened, "Yeah, he's one of them."

Hermione's mouth opened in shock while Neville sighed loudly, "I understand why you'd be upset and believe me, I'm unsettled by it too, but you saw how Harry acts or reacts as the case may be. Despite his obvious displeasure, he didn't kill anyone. He wields Dark magic, but he's not Dark himself, not totally anyway."

"I'm not convinced," growled Ron and the low tone of his voice shocked Hermione further. "History says differently. Look at any Dark Wizard there's ever been and regardless of how they started, they all went mad by the end. There's a reason we're told not to practice the Dark Arts."

Neville shook his head and took to eating his food instead. Hermione quietly did the same. Ginny, who sat next to Neville had listened intently but said nothing in Harry's defense, a point that Neville picked up on and he was sure Hermione did too.

His eyes scanned the student tables and a part of him was glad for the distraction that food could bring. If you didn't look at all the cuts, bruises and blood spattered clothing, one would almost think this was just another end of the year feast.

He glanced toward the table with the Death Eaters and had to stifle a surge of fury that threatened to overwhelm him. There, just several feet away, sat the source for years of pain, torture and death of countless wizards and witches.

Neville had grown leaps and bounds the past few years, his efforts in the war and the fighting in the last few days was just physical proof of that growth. Despite this, he found it difficult _not_ to side with Ron's argument even though he had Harry to thank for most of the changes in him that occurred.

Maybe it was a part of him that wanted to listen and believe in Harry unconditionally, or maybe it was his new sense of self. Either way, Neville was (now that he'd calmed down) willing to allow Harry to speak his mind and see to the best course of action.

He involuntarily shuddered. There was no denying that _thing_ was an abomination and if there could be _more _of them.

Neville banished the thought as best he could.

The entrance into the Great Hall opened and a troubled looking Poppy Pomfrey came through and wasted no time in going straight to the Head Table. Some hushed whispers between her and the Headmistress lasted only a few seconds before McGonagall stood.

"May I have your attention please?" The hall grew silent. "Madame Pomfrey has informed me that the vaccine in the form of the Mark has been verified. Based on the protections and the workings of the runic equations, Madame Pomfrey has recommended an immediate vaccination for safety purposes."

There was quite a bit of noise from that and McGonagall gave the students a few moments to collect themselves. Even she knew this was asking a bit much.

"I want everyone to please stand and form a line over by the wall. Tom will apply the vaccine to all of us and then we shall depart for bed."

Not one student got up, but McGonagall waited patiently. Tom was already moving over to where the start of the line would be and he too, waited.

Neville sighed to himself, _'For you, Harry. Gryffindors at the ready,'_ and he stood up. Without batting an eye, he rolled back his sleeve and Neville's footsteps echoed loudly as he approached the Dark Lord.

**XX**

Wisps of what looked like white smoke ran past Harry's vision as he walked calmly through the thick haze.

Legilimens had a sort of trick to it and once you realized what that was, entering a mind was almost as effortless as breathing. Most people thought of the mind in terms of physical objects, books for storing things, castles for defending and a whole host of tricks and traps for various purposes. But the truth, as often is, was far simpler: the mind was nothing more than a lidded box, filled with magic.

This wasn't literally the case, but memories and feelings, emotions, all of these could be decomposed into various forms and disciplines of magic. Once you realized this was possible, one only had to retrain their mind to this line of thinking. It no longer became a matter of breaking into a mind, rather it was about identifying the magic associated with certain emotions or reactions. Doing so allowed you to 'catch a lift' on the magic and nudge open the lid of the box ever so slightly and once that happened, you were in.

A part of Harry wanted to try his skills against Dumbledore or Snape just to see where he ranked with them.

_'Well, there's always Tom,'_ and just as he thought it Harry came to the memory he had been looking for.

_'Bella, my sweet Bella.'_

_'Hello Love. Have you decided on a symbol yet?'_

Harry's mouth formed a thin line as he watched what looked like two lovers talking to each other. Bella had indicated that there had been a romantic interest between them, even though she was 'contracted' to marry someone else. What really interested him though was what came next.

_'I have, dear. Would you do me the honor of being the first to carry it?'_

Harry noticed with a touch of pity how Bella's eyes shined momentarily before she nodded to him. Even from just looking at these specters of her memory, both Bella and Tom had been very different individuals back then. Well, Bella had.

Harry watched as Tom administered the first ever, Dark Mark, his stony look breaking and he snarled. The age difference alone between the two of them was cause for raising an eyebrow but as Bella received the Mark, with increasing pain by the looks of it, Tom let his true intentions shine through.

She had been thoroughly used.

The memories of the following year fast-forwarded before his eyes and he watched as Bella performed atrocity after atrocity. There was, curiously enough, one memory where Tom seemed rather confused and perhaps even slightly alarmed by the fact the Mark was having more and more radical effects on its host. Maybe at one time the wizard did care, in a strange twisted fashion but as the past clearly showed, Bella was telling the truth and Tom was as much of a bastard as Harry thought.

But the point was, Bella wasn't as crazy as they had been led to believe.

The world around him faded away and he found himself looking at an extremely pale and shivering woman. The moment the link was cut, Bella fell to the ground in a heap. Harry's look never faltered as he summoned Timber and had the woman carted off to the Hospital Wing. Admittedly, he had been a little, _rougher_ perhaps then one normally would be when running through a long stretch of memory but Harry felt it justified.

She had killed his godfather after all, and Tonks, which in turn killed Remus. Really, he was letting her off easy, but then again, all of this was because of Tom.

Harry sighed and shook his head, _'Calm the hell down, Potter. Don't need to be losing your head again so soon.'_

Armed with this new information and a sudden bout of fatigue, Harry trudged wearily into the castle.

**XX**

As he entered the Great Hall something seemed... off. The students were entirely too quiet and many of them were clutching their arms or looking at them oddly.

_'Ah,'_ Harry realized, _'Poppy moves quickly when she needs to,_' rightly discerning that the entire student body all held similar Marks to his own. It was funny, in a macabre sort of fashion that after all this time, he felt safer for having his enemy's symbol branded on him then he did without. He could feel the protection actively working so he knew it was the real deal and now everyone had this added barrier.

Tom was the first to look up from his just about empty plate and upon seeing Harry draw near he motioned towards the Head Table where the Headmistress was watching Harry carefully.

"Mr. Potter?" she said in a calm voice. It broke most of the students from their dazes as many looked up to see Harry for the first time.

"Yes, Headmistress?"

"I know I said at your earliest convenience but I'm afraid that we must both adjourn to my office immediately. There are some topics we must discuss before the protections that Tom has crafted can be put into place."

His stomach growled in protest but he ignored it, "Of course, Headmistress," and they both retreated out of the Great Hall. Much to Harry's surprise, McGonagall said nothing as they moved at a rather fast pace. They were past the gargoyle, up the stairs and through her office door almost before Harry could blink and no sooner had the door shut, it locked.

"Forgive me for the rush, Harry but I"

"Hello there, Harry. It certainly is good to see you again."

"Hello, Professor."

The twinkling eyes staring back at him did little to calm the unease that had crept into his gut. The esteemed Albus Dumbledore, wise that he was, happened to also be another fool. An honest fool, but a fool none the less.

Age had gotten the better of him in his waning years, as did his own weaknesses, a fact that Harry could appreciate. Albus had more or less signed his own death certificate with trying to wield a then horcrux-hallow. His tragic end did little however, to alleviate the many foolish mistakes he had made in regards to Harry's childhood and for the fate that met Sirius.

A better part of his godfather's remaining two years on this Earth were spent in the decrepit Grimmauld Palace. In reality it became just another prison, something that to this day Harry could not forgive Albus for.

He had found several of Sirius' diaries in the house when he had started the long arduous task of learning the Dark Arts. The words in those diaries had given him just a taste of the disgusting things Sirius had been exposed to during his decade long vacation in Azkaban. Only then to escape and be sentenced for his remaining years at Grimmauld.

Harry bit back the rising anger and latched it tightly behind an iron mask, "Is this part of what we needed to discuss, Headmistress?"

McGonagall knew what that tone of voice meant, "I'm afraid so, Mr. Potter. As you have probably guessed from the student's lack of attention, the Dark Mark has been administered."

Her voice cracked at saying that and Harry took pity on her, "I'm sorry, Minerva." he said quietly, rarely calling her by name unless they were alone. "It was a necessary evil."

"I know," she replied and surprised him by looking crossly at Albus' portrait, "and I'm afraid to say this is also a necessary evil."

"Minerva has briefed me on the happenings of the school, Harry. I hear Tom has taken residence, along with what remains of his Death Eaters."

"That is correct, Professor. We are facing a foe I do not yet know the face of. I've seen what it can do but one casualty of this nature hardly describes the feeding monster."

Albus stroked his beard, "Adequately put, which is why I've convinced Minerva to appoint an Arbiter."

Harry looked to her, "Arbiter?"

She took a deep breath, "In short, a guardian of the castle. One who watches over her and all those inside her walls."

"Isn't that what you do as Headmistress?"

Minerva seemed upset, "Yes, that is how it usually is, but..." She sat down and gestured for Harry to do the same and he did, feeling he might need it. "Harry, I will be frank. That _thing_ we saw earlier, that Tom brought with him? I've never felt something with such horribly twisted magic. It makes you and Tom look like angels."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "You could sense it?"

"Not in a normal fashion, no. I could feel it, deep within my bones, a sort of instinctual reaction. What this creature represents is an evil that our world does not understand and I fear it will be too late before we finally do."

"Hogwarts," continued Albus, "has always had a Headmaster or Headmistress that governed the school body and led its students and faculty through troubled times. However on occasion, the strength and power of the Headmaster was not enough, thus in times of great need, an Arbiter was created."

"This is significant," said Minerva, "because the Headmaster or Headmistress admits his or her shortcomings and offers up her concerns to the castle. Should Hogwarts feel these worries have merit, it will approve of the selected Arbiter's appointment."

Harry sat quietly and thought for several seconds before responding.

"What can this Arbiter do that makes him so important?"

"In this case," replied Albus, "the Headmistress will secede her duties of protecting the castle to the Arbiter. Hogwarts will then be commanded by not the Headmistress but this individual and he or she will wield Hogwarts' might without restriction. If chosen poorly, the Arbiter could make life very difficult for Minerva as this position places him or her on equal rank with that of the Headmistress. There are also a few countable circumstances where the Arbiter's word will trump the decisions of the Headmistress in manners _not_ relating to the school's defenses."

Harry stood slowly, casually walking back and forth several times in the office with his hands held behind his back. He stopped eventually in the middle of the room and looked poignantly at Minerva.

"How is this 'Arbiter' chosen?"

"By a ritual; I will offer the blood of the one I choose for this task to Hogwarts. If she approves of the one and finds need of him, Hogwarts will elect the one I suggest. It's never happened before, but she can choose someone else if the needs demand it and no matter what, we would have to abide by it. The castle's magic is binding and I cannot retract my plea for the Arbiter's presence until the Arbiter himself relinquishes his duties. The magics were crafted this way to stress upon the importance and dangers of such a decision."

Harry moved back to his chair and practically fell in it, "You do realize that if for whatever reason, Hogwarts doesn't choose me, there's a chance then that Tom could be the one?"

For the first time in his life, Harry saw what could only be described as a sour look on Albus' face.

"That is part of the reason why I asked Minerva to bring you here immediately. As the Arbiter, you would have full control over the castle's wards and it would easily allow you to extend the protections Tom is offering, but as you have stated, there is a chance he could be chosen instead."

Not knowing what else to do, Harry started chuckling, "Lesser of two evils, Minerva? What could possibly be another evil to that?"

Her frown deepened, "There is no other way to change the wards without either myself or the Arbiter commanding it. Although you may think differently, I no longer posses the magical prowess needed for such a thing and so the Arbiter is required. The only other option would be that I step down at which point, given the dangers we are all in, Hogwarts would choose another Headmaster immediately. An appointment that we would also have no choice but to abide by, but also one that we have no hope of influencing."

Harry blinked several times, "Lesser evil, indeed."

_A/N:_

_Thanks again to all who reviewed and my apologies for this taking so long. Life is hectic and will continue to be hectic for the foreseeable future. Case in point, the Beta was so busy, he couldn't look this over either (booo busy life!). Hopefully things will begin slowing down sometime in the future, but until then, see you later and have a Hallowed Halloween. _


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